Never Forgotten
by Smudgeandfrank
Summary: It was on that day she was gone and he was left alone... But no one knows. What happens when Usopp tells a story he wants to forget to Luffy on one of the saddest days in the sniper's life? Please review! Srry for the bad summary. -
1. Chapter 1

Luffy and Chopper sat with their fishing poles in hand as they watched the ocean waves flow against the side of the Sunny Go. They sighed sadly as the rest of the crew was silent. Franky was sitting on a chair, drinking a soda, while Brook cleaned his instruments carefully. Zoro was lifting his weights while Sanji cooked another meal, without really thinking of what he was creating. Robin was reading her fifth book of the day as Nami sat on the railing and swung her feet quietly. She was staring off into the distance as she wondered what was wrong with Usopp. The crew had only seen him in the morning when he made his way to his workshop below deck. Chopper and Luffy rushed over to him, wanting him to fish with them but Usopp just kept walking away with his hands in his pockets.

Luffy walked over to him and asked, "Oi, Usopp! Don't you want to--?" but Usopp walked by him and Chopper without giving looking at them.

"Sorry guys. I don't want to do anything right now. I just want to be left alone." Usopp walked over to the entrance to the lower deck and shut the door behind him, leaving Chopper and Luffy alone on deck. After that, no one had heard from Usopp and the door to his room was locked. Luffy and Chopper were depressed as they waited for a fish to bite the line of their fishing poles, but the fish would not come. Suddenly Luffy jumped down from the rail and sat on the ground. Chopper looked at him with surprise as he started to make his way to the door down to Usopp's room.

"Luffy! What are you doing?" Chopper asked as Luffy turned around with a serious face.

"I'm going to go talk to Usopp." Chopper turned around with worry as the other crewmembers felt the same way.

"Luffy…" Chopper sighed, "You shouldn't bother Usopp. He said he wanted to be left alone." The other crewmembers agreed as they all came toward the deck. Zoro wiped the sweat from his forehead as he leaned over the railing above and Sanji exited the kitchen.

"Yeah, I agree Luffy." Sanji said calmly. "He seemed out of sorts since this morning, so you might as well just leave him be."

"It's not like Usopp to do something like this Luffy." Nami explained, "So he must have a good reason. Don't bother him."

"Well, if he does have a good reason, I want to know." Luffy said calmly before turning back to the door before pulling it open.

"Luffy!" Nami exclaimed but it was too late. Luffy walked in and closed the door behind him as he made his way down to Usopp's workshop.

~*~


	2. Chapter 2

Usopp sat on the floor silently with his back against the wall as he stared blankly up at the ceiling. He had small pieces of metal and a few tools scattered at his feet but he had never started creating anything with them. He had been sitting in the same place for over three hours now and yet he couldn't stop the tears that would suddenly escape his eyes. Today was the day Usopp's mother died. He remembered that day all to well. He could still see her face, pale as the snow, smile weakly as her eyes looked over to her son. "Do become a brave man like your father…" Her eyes closed. She was still smiling. His mother was gone. Usopp wiped at his eyes and chocked back his cries as he could still feel the doctors push Usopp away from his mother as he struggled to get back to her side. He knew she was dead but he would not accept it. He loved his mother more than words could see, but on that day, he was alone.

Usopp bit his lip tightly as he rubbed even harder at his eyes and buried his face into his arms. The thought of his father also came to mind. All Usopp wanted was to meet his father someday and finally fulfill his mother's last wish. Usopp still wasn't mad at his father for leaving. His mother always explained that none of what had happened was ever his fault, and Usopp knew that she was right. But he couldn't help but wonder what it could have been like if he had never left. _Could mom still be alive? Would Dad have taken me with him if he had stayed longer? I just… RGGGGH!!! I'm not mad!! And yet… The sadness just won't go away! I miss mom! I… I… _Usopp pulled at his hair as he tried to stop being so negative but he just couldn't stop crying. Suddenly a large knock came at the door to his room as he jumped slightly.

He wiped away more of his tears before clearing his throat and looking at the door. "Who is it?" He growled before hearing a regular reply.

"Who else?" Luffy said as Usopp sighed at the reply.

"Please, just go away Luffy. I don't mean to be a pain but I just want to be alone." There was a moment of silence before Usopp heard his captain sit on the floor on the other side of the door.

"Why's that?" Luffy asked as Usopp ground his teeth.

"I don't want to talk about it so just go back on deck!" Usopp growled. Another moment of silence.

"Mmmm… Nah." Luffy replied as he clapped his feet together. Usopp rubbed his neck with frustration before letting his head thump against the wall behind him. "Why won't you tell me?" Luffy asked abruptly as Usopp clenched his fists.

"NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS LUFFY!! SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!" Usopp snapped back and another session of silence ensued. Usopp could tell that Luffy wasn't going to leave as he sighed and relaxed his frustration. "S-sorry… I'm just way out of it… I didn't mean to yell at you like that." Usopp waited for a response but nothing came. It was silent until Luffy broke the silence once again.

"So tell me." Usopp looked over at the door with a sigh, as he knew that the only way Luffy would leave was if he told his captain what was bothering him.

"Hah… You just don't give up do you?" Usopp heard Luffy rearrange into a comfortable position on the floor, as he prepared for Usopp's story. "Fine… Back on Syrup Island I lived with my mom when I was a kid… As you know dad wasn't there… He left when I was two or three. I have no memory of him or that day." Usopp stopped to see if Luffy would barge in with a comment but his captain listened intently. "But after he left my mom got horribly sick. She did everything she could to take care of me until she was bed ridden… I would go into town screaming that pirates were coming, trying to make her feel better… but she knew… he wasn't coming back. I continued to scream and run through the village until one day… I came back to our house and found the doctors there. My mom was in the bed, and paler than usual. I told her that dad was coming but she told me I was being foolish. She talked about how even though he wasn't coming back, she still loved dad with all her heart. I told her there was a medicine that could cure all diseases… She told me not to be stupid…She told me I dream to much… heh…" Tears were dripping onto the floor by this point as Usopp tried to keep himself from sobbing, so Luffy wouldn't hear.

"I told her… 'So what if I'm stupid! But I like to dream!… 'Cuz… Because I'm the son of a pirate!' She chuckled… and told me…. To become a brave man like my dad… And then… And then……" Usopp stopped as his tears ran down his face and he chocked on his words. He struggled to speak until he finally said, "S-she closed her eyes… And didn't wake up…" Usopp cried for a minute as he tried to stay quiet. He was embarrassed hat his captain was listening just outside the door but he just couldn't hold the emotions in anymore. Luffy was silent outside the door as Usopp wondered if he was still even there. A loud sniff told him that he was as Usopp chuckled. "Today… It's been twelve years since today that she died… But not a day goes by that I don't think about her and dad. For some reason, it's just taking a bigger toll on me today… S-sorry Luffy." Usopp rubbed his eyes again before continuing.

"I remember how she taught me everything, and told me about my dad like he was someone out of a fairy tale. She loved him… and never doubted him for a second. I guess… that's where I get my pride from… From that day on… I lived alone. People in the village helped me of course… they gave me food and other things I needed… but I lived by myself… I made myself food, I looked after the house… and I went down to mom's grave every day… Of course I would hang out with the guys every chance I got… But I always went to the coast, and watched for my dad on the ocean… heh… It's stupid… But I always thought… He AND my mom would come back… Happy, excited to see me… Ready to take me out to sea with them… That's why… When you guys came… And took me with you… That meant more to me than my own life. I could finally follow the path of my dad… and my mom… You guys… All of you… You're family to me!! I never had… I never had friends in my life like you guys!!!" Usopp finally broke down and started to cry out loud. He felt so stupid but he couldn't help it.

Everything from his soul had just broken out and poured into his words. Usopp felt drained but happier than before. He had finally told someone just what he was feeling. Suddenly he heard the door open as he looked over and found that it had been unlocked from the outside. Luffy stepped in from the hall and walked over to Usopp before sitting against the wall with his nakama. Luffy looked straight ahead as Usopp looked at him with surprise. Usopp noticed that Luffy might have actually been crying as he rubbed his left eye. Usopp sat up as he rubbed at his face and looked over at his captain. "………How did you get in?" Usopp asked as Luffy lifted up a small key and showed it to his sniper.

"A key." Usopp smiled and started to crack up as he rubbed at his eyes again.

"Baka! W-where the hell did you get that?!" Luffy looked over at Usopp with a smile.

"From Franky." Usopp laughed even harder at Luffy as he put his hand over his eyes.

"Then why didn't you use it to get in in the first place?!"

"………. 'Dunno." Usopp laughed until he was able to take a deep sigh and lean back against the wall.

"I love her… I never got to tell her that…" Usopp suddenly felt Luffy's hand on his shoulder as he looked over to his captain who was staring at him with a small smile.

"I'm sure she knows Usopp. And remember we're here for you." Luffy stood from the ground before looking over at a small machine over in the corner that shined against the light in the room. "OH! What does this do?!" Luffy asked as he reached down to touch a small red button on the side of the contraption.

"NO LUFFY! WAIT!!!" Luffy touched the button quickly when a large explosion rattled Sunny Go as the crew jumped to their feet. They all looked at each other before running down to see what had happened and found Luffy and Usopp laying on the ground, covered in a thick layer of Tabasco sauce. Usopp sat up as he wiped the sauce from his face and looked over at Luffy. "WHAT DID I JUST TELL YOU BAKA?!?!" Luffy sat up with a large grin as he cheered a raised his arms.

"SUGEE~~~!!! That was so cool!! Hey look! Sauce!!" Luffy licked his lips and immediately felt fire pile into his mouth. "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Luffy jumped up and began running around with fire poring from his mouth as the others panicked.

"BAKA!!!" Nami screamed. "SOMEONE GET WATER BEFORE HE SETS THE ENTIRE SHIP ON FIRE!!!!" The crew scrambled as Usopp ran over to the wall and grabbed a fire extinguisher he had made which he aimed a Luffy and shot the white foam toward his captain. Finally after the room was piled with foam and Tabasco sauce Luffy sat on the floor with a smile and laughed.

"Ah! Arigatou Usopp!" Usopp sat down and laughed as Chopper rushed over to him and embraced the sniper.

"USOPP!!!" Chopper cried as he clung to Usopp and the long nose laughed.

"Hey Chopper! You okay? HAHAHA!!!" The crew laughed at the three of their nakama sitting stupidly in the Tabasco sauce and foam when they heard a call from up stairs.

"DINNER'S READY EVERYONE!!" Without hesitation Luffy rushed up to the kitchen, even though he was still covered in foam and Tabasco sauce as the others chased after him.

"I'M NOT CLEANING THIS UP!!!!" Nami screamed as Usopp and Chopper listened to Sanji yell at Luffy to clean himself up before getting anywhere near the kitchen. Usopp chuckled as Chopper stood to go and join them when the reindeer turned around.

"Are you okay Usopp? You should come and get something to eat with us!" Usopp nodded as he rubbed his eyes and looked around the disastrous room.

"You go on ahead. I've gotta clean up at least a little." Usopp replied as Chopper nodded happily and disappeared up the stairs. Usopp stood from the mess as he wiped the foam and sauce from his clothes and picked up a suction dial from the mess. He pressed the dial on the back as a large force sucked up all of the liquid from the room. Usopp sighed happily as he looked over to a drawer and grabbed a different thing of clothes. He could hear the others laughing from the kitchen as he hurried up the stairs and onto the deck. He looked silently at the sea and could swear he had seen his mother standing near the rail looking back at him but as he blinked his eyes she disappeared. He rubbed his eyes and looked over to the kitchen. "Thank you mom… Love you!" He then ran into the kitchen forgetting that he hadn't changed and tracked red sauce on the floor.

Sanji looked over at him with anger as Usopp took a step back but Sanji sighed and smiled. "It's okay. It's to dirty in here to notice that this isn't how it looks all of the time!" That others laughed as Usopp smiled and grabbed a chair around the table.

Luffy suddenly raised his glass to the ceiling and got the others attention. "To Usopp!! A true nakama, and a brave man of the sea!!!" Usopp sat surprised as the others nodded and clanked their glasses together, waiting for Usopp. Usopp laughed and raised his glass with the others.

"KANPAI!!!!!!!"


End file.
